Surprise!
by Steffie93
Summary: Andy is trying to stay positive while Sam is away under cover. Traci convinces her to throw a surprise birthday party for Oliver, and the special guest turns out to be the last person she'd ever expected. (One shot).


**A/N: If you don't read my other stories just ignore this. I've had a lot of requests for updates on my other stories, and I know a new one shot won't make up for the lack of progress on them. I don't have an excuse apart from being busy. I've had this one shot saved on my laptop for ages and I figured it was better than nothing. I will get around to Bad Choices and Off Limits eventually, I'm sorry!**

* * *

Emptiness. That's all Andy felt. She hadn't heard from him in months. And it felt like years. She'd asked Traci nearly every day if there was any news, and every day she gave the same response,

"I'm sorry Andy, nothing yet."

Andy got it. She did. He's a cop. It's his job, and he's really damn good at it. But she still couldn't bring herself to be happy about all the undercover work. But she bit her tongue because she'd held him back for a while and could just see him itching to get back out there. Of course he missed her when he was away, he always told her that. There was just something about the thrill of undercover that not even she could make up for. Although she was determined to try, for as long as it took.

Just one hug. That's all Andy wanted. One hug and maybe a kiss. Just so she knew he was alright, alive and kicking, working hard to come back to her. Home soon.

But nothing.

She'd heard nothing.

* * *

It was Traci's idea to hold a birthday party for Oliver. Andy hadn't really felt up to partying, but her best friend had convinced her that it wouldn't be right not to celebrate with their former T.O. Besides, Oliver would do that same for them, which was true.

So here they were, on a drizzly Friday night in March, crowded into The Penny, with a banner overhead and a near lake of alcohol around them.

Traci had roped the guys into decorating the bar, so with Liam's help they'd stuck giant pictures of Oliver's face all around the walls and smaller ones as drink mats on every table. Nobody that walked through those doors would fail to see whose birthday it was.

Andy was tasked with only one thing…..turn up, and bring Oliver with her. Easy.

Or not. As Andy pointed out on many an occasion during the planning process, she couldn't lie to save her life. And trying to lie to Oliver about a surprise birthday party wouldn't be any easier than trying to lie to her dad about eating the last biscuit when she was a kid. She simply couldn't keep anything a secret. So she was pretty sure Oliver knew exactly what was going on when she invited him for 'a quiet drink after work'. But he was humouring her nonetheless.

* * *

As she stepped out of the station with Oliver by her side, Andy's phone rang. She took a glimpse at the caller id before raising it to her ear and sighing down the line.

"Yes Trace?"

"Andy, everything still on? You're both on your way right?"

"Yes. I promised you didn't I?" Andy teased.

"Yes you did. I'm sorry I doubted you," Traci chuckled back. "Look, Andy….I know you're down at the moment because Sam's away."

Andy interrupted her before she could say anything else. "Trace stop. We made a deal that we wouldn't say his name. I can't stop missing him if everyone's always talking about him all the time."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I'm just gonna say one thing about it and then I'll shut up forever. Okay?"

"Go on then."

"He wouldn't blame you, you know, for having a little fun while he's away. Drink some wine, lose your inhibitions for a few hours! You can go back to missing him once you've slept it off. He doesn't expect or want you to spend your life sat waiting for him while he's gone."

Andy sighed heavily. "I know. I just find it hard without him there to have fun too. I feel guilty while he's out meddling with drug traffickers and I'm here having fun. It doesn't feel right."

"Andy, the man loves you. He's not gonna care if you have a glass and let your hair down one time."

"Okay," she grumbled down the phone. "We'll be there soon."

"See you soon!" Traci called before hanging up.

Andy felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face Oliver who wore a sympathetic smile on his face.

"She's right you know," he told her softly.

"I know" Andy admitted begrudgingly. "I just miss him."

"I know you do. We all do," Oliver ran his hand across his face. "But he'll be back before we know it."

Andy smiled a tentatively smile at him and continued across the lot to his car.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the pair had parked at the Penny and were making their way to the door.

"I know you're acting ignorant to save me from Traci, but you are gonna look surprised when we walk through the door aren't you?" Andy asked Oliver meekly.

"Sure McNally, I don't know a thing," he said with a wink before nudging her across the threshold. The pub erupted into cheers as Oliver stepped inside, and a chorus of Happy Birthday was promptly started. Andy slunk away towards the bar and ordered a glass of wine as Traci had instructed. If she had to be here then she might as well _try_ and enjoy it at least.

* * *

Once their friends had pried Oliver away from the hands of all the well-wishers they dragged him over to their usual table and opened a tab at the bar. Dov had decided that they should play some drinking games to celebrate Ollie's birthday in style, and guarantee everyone was hungover for the next day. With the music loud and Dov constantly shouting out rules to games she didn't want to play anyway, Andy found herself feeling quite uncomfortable. One glass of wine had turned to two in order to relax in the overcrowded bar. She wanted nothing more than to slip out the back door, but she knew Traci would kill her so she persevered. She tried to back our gracefully when Dov suggested the next game.

He produced a blindfold from his pocket and declared that one person would be blindfolded, and each player took turns to place something in the hands on the blindfolded person, who had one guess to get it right each time. Every wrong guess meant another shot had to be taken. The principle of the game was amusing but it was when Andy was chosen to be blindfolded first, that she regretted her initial enthusiasm. All of her friends joined together in forcing Andy into playing, so she now stood in the middle of a circle of her friends, blind and preparing for whatever god-awful things the rookies would find to place in her hands.

She could hear the boys giggling like girls at whatever they'd found, and shivered at the thought. She could sense a trip to the toilet to wash her hands being necessary by the end of this game. While everyone found their items, Traci called out that she was going to be bar to line up the shots for Andy to face with every wrong guess. She'd been gone for a while and Andy was getting restless. It was clear the others had found their items and were getting frustrated waiting for Traci. They were muttering and whispering to each other, obviously plotting, but Andy couldn't hear what they were saying over the noise of the jukebox.

Chris went first with his item. He chuckled devilishly as he placed it into her tentatively upturned palm.

Wet.

That was Andy's first thought. Quickly followed by cold. And then she dropped it.

"Ice" she cringed, "Cruel, but too easy Diaz!" She tried to get into the spirit a little. Dropping her shoulders to release the tension, she called out "Who's up next?"

Dov chose to go. His item was small, and very light. She guessed it as soon as she flipped it over and it dug into her hand. "A bottle cap." She huffed behind her mask. "Seriously guys, this sounded fun when you suggested it but those were lame. Make it a little interesting will you?"

Traci called that she would go next. It went quiet for a second after she spoke, and Andy could hear murmurings in the group, along with the easily indentifiable squeal of excitement from Chloe.

'This should be good' Andy though to herself. "Ready?" suddenly Traci's voice reappeared but she sounded too far away. Andy sensed that something might be wrong.

"Traci?" she called tentatively.

"Just hold out your palm".

Andy did, her hand shakily slightly with nerves. Whatever was coming was obviously going to be gross, judging by the nervous energy in the group. She braced herself.

Then she felt it.

Something cold, but not as cold as the ice.

And hard. Solid.

Smooth. And shaped….like a ….heart? A heart shaped stone?

The question must have been written on her face despite her not saying anything.

"It's a heart".

Traci giggled, "Take off your blindfold Andy" she replied excitedly.

Super confused, Andy raised a hand to her face and brushed the eye mask off of her head.

"Surprise!" She heard Traci squeal.

As soon as her eyes adjusted she was crying.

Big heart-wrenching sobs wracked her body and her knees gave way at the sight in front of her. Strong arms caught her before she hit the floor, and within seconds she was lifted up, her arms securely fastened around the neck of the one person she missed more than words could describe.

Sam.

"I'm home baby," he whispered into her ear with his gravelly voice, thick with emotion. Andy sobbed harder.

"Don't…you…. _ever_ do that…to me again," she croaked out around the sobs. Andy lifted her legs around his waist, getting herself as close to him as possible.

Sam chuckled lightly and tugged on her hair lightly to draw her face back. He released one hand from his hold on her and wiped away the tears that had stained Andy's cheeks. Then his tucked his fingers into the hair at the base of her neck and pulled her in for a searing kiss.

Their friends who had been watching the whole thing cheered loudly at the sight. After a few moments Sam dropped her from her perch against his chest and let her slide down his body to the floor. He didn't move his arms from around her though, determined to keep her attached to him for the rest of the night – they had a lot of catching up to do!

Oliver clapped him on the back,

"Welcome home Sammy! Way to crash my party buddy."

"Thanks man, and sorry. I just couldn't resist surprising this one" Sam grinned, giving Andy's hip a squeeze.

"I think that's the last party she's gonna let you crash for a long time!" Olive chuckled, before stepping away to rejoin the group.

Sam turned his body back to face her, tugging her impossibly closer to him.

"They joke, but I am deadly serious Sam. Never leave me again." She rested her forehead against his.

"Never" he whispered against her lips, "I'm right here, Andy. Always."


End file.
